Putting Windows and Android on the same PC doesn’t solve anyone’s problems

Op-ed: The "Dual OS" project is a classic "more is more" move from PC OEMs.

PC makers at CES may announce Windows PCs that run Android apps. But should you do something just because you can?

Andrew Cunningham

CES begins in just a few short days, but rumors about what we'll be seeing there are already in full-swing. It's a fair bet that the usual suspects will show up—phones, tablets, PCs, maybe even a Linux-powered gun or two—but the things that stick out usually end up being the Flavors of the Year. These are often technologies that are cool in theory but fail to light the world on fire in practice. Netbooks, 3D TVs, and the first run of Android tablets are all members of this illustrious group, and so far baubles like 4K TVs and smartwatches look like worthy heirs to the throne.

One such upcoming flavor, according to a report from The Verge, is an Intel-backed initiative that combines Windows 8.1 and Android on the same device. Rather than combine an Android tablet with a Windows PC like Asus' Transformer Book Trio, these computers will seamlessly run Android apps within a Windows environment, probably by way of a virtualization layer like Bluestacks. This idea is in no way new, though the report suggests that a larger push is imminent.

The initiative makes some sense for Intel and the OEMs. For Intel, it's a way to offer tablet makers something that they can't get from ARM chips like those from Qualcomm or Nvidia: the ability to provide full Windows 8.1 app compatibility combined with Android app compatibility. For the OEMs, it's (theoretically) a way to patch gaps in Windows 8.1's improving-but-spotty app store by giving consumers Android tablet apps that they (theoretically) know and love.

This approach is not without its hurdles. As The Verge's report points out, Microsoft and Google don't seem to be overly enthusiastic about the idea, since each company would probably prefer that you buy hardware running its software and only its software. There's always a chance that Google could withhold support for its apps and APIs on the devices, effectively removing the most desirable parts of the operating system. Bluestacks' performance and Windows integration leave much to be desired, problems that any Intel-developed implementation would have to overcome.

But let's leave those problems aside for now. Let's assume for the sake of argument that neither Microsoft nor Google do anything to block this move, that the performance of Android apps is close to what it would be in actual Android running on the same hardware, and that launching an Android app is as simple as clicking a tile on your Start screen.

Even given this generous amount of leeway, I don't think running Android apps on Windows desktops, laptops, or tablets does anything to solve anyone's problems.

First and foremost, Android's tablet app library still isn't particularly great. It's better than it was even a year and a half ago when the first Nexus 7 launched, and most of the biggest players have done at least something to make their apps look and work better on larger screens at this point. However, the same third parties that have done some of the best work tablet-ifying their Android apps (Netflix, Hulu, Kindle, the usual suspects) are already offering Windows 8.1 apps that live in the Windows Store and adhere to Windows' app design guidelines.

This drives home a second point: even for more useful apps like Google's first-party efforts or the Android apps that don't exist in the Windows Store, Android tablet apps still look and work differently than standard Windows tablet apps. Bluestacks puts up a full Android notification center and Android software buttons when running Android apps, for example, and these controls differ quite a bit from Windows' native controls. Adding to this confusion, running Android applications from Google Play or some other third-party app store will require users to sign into multiple app stores and manage multiple accounts. For the average user, the more interface inconsistencies you introduce, the greater the chances people are going to get lost, and Windows 8.1 starts by offering users two different interfaces (the Start screen and the desktop) anyway.

More than anything, the approach that would put Windows and Android applications together on the same tablet is the one that dogs so many of the PC OEMs' current products. It's the result of a sort of "more-is-more" mentality, the one that believes consumers will buy the gadget with the longest feature checklist rather than the one that does a better job at fewer things. Are your Windows tablets not selling? Drop Android apps on them so you can say it's two tablets in one! You can see this reflected in the hardware itself—maybe if you add a stylus, or a unique enough hinge, or a touchpad that is also a programmable screen, or a display that detaches and is also a tablet, you'll meet with sales success and accolades from reviewers.

If combining Android and Windows in the same PC is really a strategy that the PC makers are looking to pursue at this year's CES, I think they're on the wrong track. My favorite Android products (and the ones I've bought and recommended to friends and family) are the ones like the Nexus 7 or the Moto G, the ones that eschew the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach in favor of a relatively clean and simple aesthetic. Simplicity is one of the reasons why Apple's products resonate with people, even though they're functionally limited in some ways. It's the reason why Microsoft's stores offer "Microsoft Signature" PCs free of the third-party apps that clutter the ones on the shelves of your local Staples or Best Buy. The ability to run Android apps on a Windows PC is another feature to throw on top of the pile, and it's one that some subset of users might even appreciate and use if it's good enough. It's just not a feature that's going to make Intel-powered Windows tablets palatable to people who weren't considering them before.

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Andrew Cunningham / Andrew has a B.A. in Classics from Kenyon College and has over five years of experience in IT. His work has appeared on Charge Shot!!! and AnandTech, and he records a weekly book podcast called Overdue.